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Why Is There A WMFP-DT.2?

  • Thread starter Laurence Glavin
  • Start date

L

Laurence Glavin

Guest
WMFP-DT, the former WMFP-TV channel 62, licensed to Mogadishu on the Merrimack (aka Lawrence, MA) but formerly transmitting from One Beacon Street in Boston, is probably one of the least-neccessary TV stations in New England. Anyway, these days, it's operating strictly on channel 18 at WMFP-DT, but on my tabletop TV with a digital-to-analog box, there seems to be a channel 62.2...but there's nothing there. I have heard that the channel is for sale (duh...who's buying these days?), so did they install a second channel when they built the antenna to increase its possible sale value?
 
Laurence Glavin said:
I have heard that the channel is for sale (duh...who's buying these days?), so did they install a second channel when they built the antenna to increase its possible sale value?
Click to expand...

It really wouldn't be tied to antenna installation as the equipment for adding additional subchannels is fairly small and located indoors. (and likely at the studio)

Usually all that's needed is a MPEG encoder and a Dolby encoder for the audio. And, of course, a source of programming!
 
Laurence Glavin said:
WMFP-DT, the former WMFP-TV channel 62, licensed to Mogadishu on the Merrimack (aka Lawrence, MA) but formerly transmitting from One Beacon Street in Boston, is probably one of the least-neccessary TV stations in New England. Anyway, these days, it's operating strictly on channel 18 at WMFP-DT, but on my tabletop TV with a digital-to-analog box, there seems to be a channel 62.2...but there's nothing there. I have heard that the channel is for sale (duh...who's buying these days?), so did they install a second channel when they built the antenna to increase its possible sale value?
Click to expand...

WMFP-DT 62.2 is being used as an "occasional program" channel. I've seen a special "telethon" for an ethnic group simulcast from Los Angeles sometime last year. Once in a while, I've seen some "wild feeds" being streamed on that sub-channel. More than likely, it is being used for a "specific site" broadcast. Meaning, the 62.2 is being used to a broadcast to specific group of people at a given time (much like a webinar). I don't believe that the 62.2 is required to be "must carried" on cable as it is only an "occasional feed" and is not specifically targeted to the general audience. I wish they would put RTN on the 62.2 . It would be the only thing to justify the need for WMFP-DT.
 
WMFP probably has enough bandwidth for LOTS of subchannels. I mean, who would watch informercials in HD?

Don't answer that.
 
Direct TV's EPG for Channel 62 has many RTN shows but is airing only infomercials. Anyone know when (or if) the switch will happen?
 
That is kind of a disappointment. I'm seeing it here as well on 62.2. I doubt the Cable companies will even bother picking up 62.2, so Comcast viewers are apparently just stuck with infomercials on channel 20, etc...
 
The diffference between 62.1 and 62.2 (was Re: Why Is There A WMFP-DT.2?)

I notice the 1 second delay between 62.2 and 62.1 . I am wondering if they are temporarily using the 62.2 as a transmitter (from Needham) to studio (Boston downtown) link and then have it fed back on 62.1 through their STL link. They obviously pick up a custom designed (for WMFP) link from RTN/Chattanooga as some shows on WJAR-DT are in sync with WMFP's time blocks (and visa-versa) and other times the shows are different. Since WMFP is still on the top of the skyscraper downtown (the old analog transmitter site), they probably get their feed at the new transmitter site. The quality on 62.1 seems just a little bit noisier and delayed somewhat compared than 62.2 (but not by much). The 62.1 is louder than 62.2 (probably due to their use of processing on the main 62.1). Any thoughts?
 
Re: The diffference between 62.1 and 62.2 (was Re: Why Is There A WMFP-DT.2?)

Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
I notice the 1 second delay between 62.2 and 62.1 . I am wondering if they are temporarily using the 62.2 as a transmitter (from Needham) to studio (Boston downtown) link and then have it fed back on 62.1 through their STL link. They obviously pick up a custom designed (for WMFP) link from RTN/Chattanooga as some shows on WJAR-DT are in sync with WMFP's time blocks (and visa-versa) and other times the shows are different. Since WMFP is still on the top of the skyscraper downtown (the old analog transmitter site), they probably get their feed at the new transmitter site. The quality on 62.1 seems just a little bit noisier and delayed somewhat compared than 62.2 (but not by much). The 62.1 is louder than 62.2 (probably due to their use of processing on the main 62.1). Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yes, you guessed correctly.
 
Re: The diffference between 62.1 and 62.2 (was Re: Why Is There A WMFP-DT.2?)

Ron said:
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
I notice the 1 second delay between 62.2 and 62.1 . I am wondering if they are temporarily using the 62.2 as a transmitter (from Needham) to studio (Boston downtown) link and then have it fed back on 62.1 through their STL link. They obviously pick up a custom designed (for WMFP) link from RTN/Chattanooga as some shows on WJAR-DT are in sync with WMFP's time blocks (and visa-versa) and other times the shows are different. Since WMFP is still on the top of the skyscraper downtown (the old analog transmitter site), they probably get their feed at the new transmitter site. The quality on 62.1 seems just a little bit noisier and delayed somewhat compared than 62.2 (but not by much). The 62.1 is louder than 62.2 (probably due to their use of processing on the main 62.1). Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yes, you guessed correctly.
Click to expand...

I thought so! Thanks, Ron! BTW: I've been having a blast watching RTN on WMFP. It's preset on the DTV decoder (and now on Comcast Channel 20). This is cool!
 
Anyone else notice pixelation and drop outs on WMFP? Could it be receive issues on Directv's end? I'd guess no as no other local signals have this problem.
Also, I know the source material is pretty old but WMFP looks like a bad VHS tape on my TV. That said, it's great to see Quincy, Adam 12, Buck Rogers, etc etc. Kudos to Multicultural! However the skeptic in me thinks this is just a placeholder format until they can sell it.
One minor complaint: enough with the shady lawyer ads!
 
NHRadio said:
Anyone else notice pixelation and drop outs on WMFP? Could it be receive issues on Directv's end? I'd guess no as no other local signals have this problem.
Also, I know the source material is pretty old but WMFP looks like a bad VHS tape on my TV. That said, it's great to see Quincy, Adam 12, Buck Rogers, etc etc. Kudos to Multicultural! However the skeptic in me thinks this is just a placeholder format until they can sell it.
One minor complaint: enough with the shady lawyer ads!
Click to expand...

Bill the Chief Engineer is not active on these boards, but I will inform him tomorrow. I assume you get this from DirecTV? I cannot recall if WMFP has a direct fiber feed to Direct or not, but Direct doesn't mess around with receive signal strengths. If there was --ANY-- problem with it, they never would have approved it, if off air. As for looking like a bad VHS tape, there is no way that can happen off air in the DTV world. That leads me to the next topic.

I'm going to guess/bet that DirecTV has allocated very little bandwidth to WMFP because it was "just an infomercial / shopping station" before. Bill will need to place a few calls to them and have them look at their bandwidth management. Now that the station is watched, they will fix this, since it would make them look bad.

As for place holding... well, IF it gets sold then whatever programming is on the station is up to the new owners. But if its cash flow positive and well received by the public, and the new ownership comes in with no pre-conceived programming ideas (like religion), then in all likelihood it will stay.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), the shady lawyers pay their bills.
 
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